Water-turbine.



PATBNTED JULY 28, 1807.

A. NELSON. WATER. TURBINE. ABPLICATIoN FILED ooms. 1008.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

No. 860,988. f, PATENTED JULY 23, 1907.

A. NELSON'. WATER TURBINE.

APPLICATION FILED OUT-19, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2..

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ANDREW NELSON, OF SOUTH STILLWATER, MINNESOTA.

WATER-TURB INE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1907.

Application filed October 19,1905. Serial No. 283,360.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW NELsoN, a subject of the King of Sweden,residing at South Stillwater, in the county of Washington and State ofMinnesota, have invented` certain new and useful Improvements inWater'l`urbines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to water-wheels of the turbine type, and has forits object to improve the same in the several particulars hereinafternoted.

The invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of deviceshereinafter described and defined in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, likecharacters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a view in vertical section, taken centrally through theimproved turbine, some parts being left in full; and Fig. 2 is ahorizontal section, taken in part on the line x2 x2 of Fig. 1, and inpart on the line xof Fig. 1, some parts being broken away.

The numeral 1 indicates the vertical shaft or waterconduit, whichterminates at its lower end in a laterally extended circular casesection 2. 1n its lower plates, the case-section 2 is provided with alarge round opening 3.

The numeral 4 indicates a series of vertical partitions that are rigidlysecured to the bottom plate of the casesection 2, extend tangently tothe opening 3, and terminate at their outer ends a very considerabledistance inward from the outer portion oi the case-section 2. These'partitions 4 rigidly support a horizontally disposed circular plate 5,provided with a central passage G that directly overlies the loweropening 3. As shown, a largesleeve 7 extends downward through the upperplate of the case-section 2, and is provided with an expanded baseflange 8 that is rigidly secured with a tight joint to the circularplate 5.

The numeral 9 indicates the water-wheel proper which, at its upper endis provided with a head 10 that closes the central perforation of theplate 5, and forms a tight joint therewith. The blades 9 of the wheel 9are spiral, and are given a gradually decreasing advance or pitch towardthe bottom of the wheel. Otherwise stated, at their extreme upperportions, tlie blades 9iL closely approach a vertical direction, and atthe bottom of the wheel, their pitch is changed until they extend verynearly in a horizontal direction.V This arrangement of the bladespermits the water to acquire high momentum at the head of the wheel, andis Caused to act with gradually increasing pressure on the blades towardthe bottom of the'wheel. rlhe outer edges of the several spiral blades9a, below the bottom of the case-section 2, are rigidly secured to theinner surface of'a bell or downwardly flaring shell 11. Thisconstruction gives increased bearing surface to the spiral lbladestoward the lower end of the wheel, and the flaring shell or bell 11gives a water-conduit of increasing cross-section toward the bottom ofthe wheel. Furthermore, as the wheel and the bell 11 revolve together,there is no friction between these parts. At its lower end, the wheel 9is provided with a foot or trunnion 12 that rests in a bearing 13, shownas forming part oi a fixed basin 14, which basin, in practice, may berigidly supported in any suitable way and by any suitable means.

Mounted to slide on the face of each partition 4, and fitting betweenthe bottom of the case 2 and the overlying circular plate 5, is a seriesof slides or cut-off blades 15. Loosely mounted on the sleeve 7, and onthe fiange 8 thereof, is an adjusting ring 1G which carries a'segmentalbevel gear 17. L-shaped links 18 pivotally connect the outer ends of theslides 15 to the adjusting ring 16. Meshing with the segmental gear 17is a bevel pinion 19 that is carried by a shaft 20 journaled in thesleeve 7, and in the side of the case 2, and provided at its outer endwith a crank 21 by means of which it may be turned. By rotary movementsof the shaft 20 and pinion 19, the ring 16 may be oscillated, and byoscillations of said ring, the cut-off blades 15 may be moved eitherinward or outward, at will. When the said cut-off blades are movedinward to their extreme positions, they are thrown together, and thencompletely cut off the flow of the water from the case 2 to thewater-wheel. When the said blades are moved outward, they are separatedand then leave openings, marked 22 on Fig. 2, through which the watermay iiow to the water-wheel. As is evident, by varying the size of theopenings 22 the supply of water to the wheel may be regulated so as tothereby vary the speed and power under which the said wheel will bedriven. Power from the wheel may be conveyed therefrom through anupwardly extended shaft 23 of the said wheel, and through other drivingmechanism, not shown. The higher the head of water, the longer theturbine wheel should be and the deeper the basin 14 should be.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent` of the UnitedStates is as follows:

The combination with a water-conduit terminating in a case-section 2having; in its bottom water out passage 3 and'having Within the verticalpartitions 4 and centrally 11 is secured to the blades of said Wheelbelow the bot- 10 perforated overlying plate 5, of the cut-off blades l5slidtoni plate of the case-section 2, substantially as described. ableon said partitions 4, a ringr 1G mounted to oscillateA above said plate5, links 18 connecting said ring 1G to said cut-off blades l5, means foroscillating said ring 1G,

In testimony whereof I ahx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

and a water-wheel 9 having spiral blades 9, and upper end ANDREW NELSON'head l0 and a surrounding bell 1l, which blades 9 extend Witnesses:upward through said water-outlet passage 3, which head MALIE IIOEL,

10 closes the perforation in said plate 5, and which bell A. I-I.OPSAHL.

